Nail-assorting mechanism.



1 G. G. SMALL. NAIL ASSORTING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED 313.11, 1904.

Patented June 11,1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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1,028,972. Patented June 11,1912.

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CHESTER C. SMALL, 0]? NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOEMACHINERY COMPANY, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

NAIL-ASSORTING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Original application filed August 1, 1902, Serial No. 117,935. Dividedand this application filed February 11, 1904. Serial No. 193,131.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHESTER C. SMALL, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Newton, in the county ofMiddlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement inNail-Assorting Mechanism, of which the following description, inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, likeletters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object the production of a novel apparatus bywhich to assort axially tapered headless nails and arrange them withtheir corresponding sides in predetermined relative positions.

The. heads of the tapered headless nails such as have been heretoforeassorted heads and points in the same direction for nailing togetherheel-lifts, have been substantially square at the head end, and'such'nails have been used chiefly in what is called blindnailing, wherein thenails attach a heel to the sole, and a top-lift is thereafter spanked onthe larger ends of the nails not fully driven-into the heel, and theyhave sometimes been used for surface nailing in connection with cheapwork.

The apparatus to be herein described and claimed has been devised and isparticularly intended for use in assorting English slugnails, or nailswhose heads are oblong instead of square as heretofore, although thisapparatus may also be employed for axially assorting ordinary heel nailswhich are square in cross section. English slug-nails are used mostly insurface nailing, in which they serve not only to attach a heel to ashoe, but they also serve the purpose of slug-nails to resist wear andalso ornament the tread of the heel.

To'insure an ornamental appearance of the heel it is essential that theoblong heads be arrangeduniformly around the heel. T 0 this end, inassorting and delivering these English slug-nails, it becomes necessarynot only to assort the nails as to heads and points, but they must alsobe turned axially that their wide parallel sides may be relativelyarranged to enter under like conditions the nail-block, such axialturning of i the nails enabling all the nails to be driven into the heelor other stock with their parallel sides contiguous. To do this I havein the embodiment of the invention herein shown provided means operativeafter the nails'leave the'usual assorting mechanism for turning thenails axially or about their longitudinal axes, so that the nails whendelivered will be similarly arranged as to their parallel sides. Thenails must also be directed in their passage from the axial assortingmechanism to the nail-block in such way that they will be restrainedfrom free axial rotation, and to accomplish this I have connected withsaid axial assorting mechanism nail-guiding tubes having nail passage ofa thickness less than the width of the nail.

I believe that I am the first to provide a nail-assorting mechanismadapted to receive nails arranged indiscriminately as to their axialpositions and provided with means for arranging said nails axiallywhereby all the nails are presented in predetermined position as tothe'arrangement of their sides.

In the following description and claims reference'is to be made to thewidth and the thickness of the nails which are designed to be handled inthis machine. By the term width I mean the greater dimension of the nailmeasured at rlght angles to itslength, and by the term thickness I meanthe lesser dimension of the nail meas ured at right angles to itslength. By the term side as applied to the nails I mean that face whichextends in the directions of the width and the length of the nail, andby the term edge as applied to the nail I mean that narrower face whichextends in the directions of the thickness and the length of the nail.That these nails may be driven properly into a heel I prefer to employfor pricking the nail-holes in the heel an awl such as described in myapplication Se. No. 117,935, filed August 1, 1902, from which thisapplication is a division, said awl having a shape in cross sectioncorresponding approximately with the shape of the nail.

Figure 1 in side elevation shows my invention applied in one of the bestforms now known to me to a well known form of ma chine for automaticallyassorting nails as to heads and points and loading them intocompressed-heels; Fig. 2 in section on a larger scale shows anail-controller forming part of said mechanism for assorting nails as toheads and points together with means embodying my invention for turningthe nails axially to a predetermined relative position so that the'nailsmay enter properly the pockets and tubes for guiding them to thenail-block; Fig. 3 a cross sectional detail in the dotted line 3, Fig.2, the figure showing the shape of the chambers m of said nailcontroller; Fig. 4 is a view'looking at Fig. 2 from the left, some ofthe parts shown in said figure being removed; Fig. 5 shows thenail-controller of Fig. 2'in a different position; Fig. 6 is a view ofthe part below the plane x-w, Fig. 4, the screw being in section; Fig. 7is a cross section of a nail-guiding tube; Fig. 8 shows a top view ofthe templet and awl holes therein.

The framework A contains a power shaft A having a pinion A engaging atoothed gear A fast on and rotating the main shaft A said shaftcorresponding with the shaft indicated by like number in my saidapplication and actuating the awl carrier not necessary to be hereindescribed. The upper end of the framework A'supports a frame A* thatsustains a horizontally reciprocating nail-assorting apparatuscomprising a hopper 7) having leading from it raceways 0, 0*, at thelower end of which is a lifter f having grooves that receive the endmostnails in the series of raceway grooves. The lifter is elevated atdesired times by a cam f to enable the nails thereon to slide intogrooves of a delivery portion h, the nails sliding therefrom by gravity.

The nails having their heads leading enter the chambers m,see Figs. 2and 3, of a nailcontroller m, but the nails with their points leadingmeet the walls 1) of said chambers, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2,and are arrested thereby but do not leave the delivery portion h. Whenthe controller is turned in the direction of the arrow, Figs. 2 and 5,the arrested point-first nails move with it and are carried over intothe lower raceway grooves 79*, and the head-first nails which enteredchambers of the controller are discharged therefrom into the grooves 79*point-first, as shown in Fig. 5. The shaft of the controller 417. isprovided with a pinion m that is actuated by a lever m deriving itsmovement from a cam on a shaft sustained in a frame A* and actuated atintervals when it is desired to discharge a series of nails. The racewayis reciprocated by eccentrics on the rotating shaft 6 I The parts so farreferred to by letter are substantially the same as represented in myaforesaid application and in United States Patent No. 577,213, grantedto me February 16, 1897. Instead, however, of the particularnail-assorting mechanism referred to, which is adapted to turn a seriesof nails leaving the grooves ofthe raceway or the delivery portion h,heads and points indiscriminately, so that all the nails may bedelivered point-first, I may employ any other known or usual means forassorting the nailsl as to heads and points.

I will now particularly describe apparatus constituting one embodimentof the invention to be herein claimed. The nails entering thenail-controller in the Patent No. 577,213, were substantially square incross section, and were discharged immediately from the controller intopockets, and thence directly into suitable tubes or conductors. In amachine for handling English slug-nails it is necessary also before thenails are delivered to assort them axiallythat is, to arrange them as totheir sidesso that they may be delivered under the same conditions inorder that they may be loaded or driven into heel blanks with theircorresponding sides in predetermined relative positions. To effect thissecond assorting which I designate as axial assorting, I have in thepresent construction provided a secondary raceway or having a series ofV-shaped grooves 6*, and the bottoms of the grooves at the delivery endof the raceway are cut in line with each groove to form aseries ofvertical pockets 0. Said raceway a is reciprocated with the raceways cand 0" to facilitate movement of the nails therein.

The grooves b are so shaped that as the nails enter the grooves andcontact with the sides thereof they will be axially positioned and willthereafter travel longitudinally in said grooves in the direction of thearrow in Fig. 2, one of the sides of each nail contacting with one wallof a groove and one of the edges being sustained by the other wall ofthe groove. It will be understood that the raceway is suitably actuatedto cause the nails to travel longitudinally therein, and as the loweredge of the nail, positioned. as described in the raceway, arrives abovethe narrow opening or pocket 0 the nail will enter the opening and in sodoing will be caused to assume a position with its sides insubstantially vertical planes, thus finally turning the nailinto theposit-ion predetermined by the shape of the opening or pocket of thenail guiding tubes,

contact with one wall of the groove as above described. The length. ofthe raceway a is such that before a nail reaches the opening 0' it hasbeen brought into proper position to enter said opening, so thatpresentation of a nail in an improper manner to said opening isprevented. The nails are caused to advance along the raceway a by thereciprocating-movement imparted to said raceherein shown the mechanismfor axially assorting the nails is arranged for positioning the nails ofthe different raceways side by side, and to this end each nail enterseach pocket in the same way, the sides of each nail lying next the wallsd, see Fig. 4, of each of said pockets. The sides of the pockets at thelower end of the secondary raceway W are closed by a plate e held inplace by screws 12. The underside of the downward extension of thesecondary raceway (z has a supporting plate h connected therewith byscrews 9. The plate has a series of slots 2, and a portion of the edgesof each slot is cut away as at to receive suitable shoulders Z at thetop ends of the upper members 13 of the nail-guiding tubes employed tolead the nails to the foot 9 The upper members 18 of the nail-guidingtubes are flattened or shaped to present a throat in continuation of theopenings or pockets 6 narrower in width than the width of the nailwhereby the nails entering therein, as shown in Fig. 7, are preventedfrom turning, are all accurately guided, and arrive at the foot 9 withtheir sides facing in the line of driving. The port-ion 13 of eachnail-guiding tube is flexible that it may be positioned in the nail-footin accordance with the desired arrangement of nail-holes in said foot,and said tubes are also capable of being twisted so as to deliver thenails with the wide sides of the adjacent nails contiguous as shown inFig. 8 or extending transversely of the line in which the series ofnails is driven, or in any other desired axial relation to one another.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent 1. In a machine of the class described, a raceway for thepassage of nails, said raceway being provided with grooves shaped andarranged to cause the nails to arrange themselves with theircorresponding sides in predetermined relative positions, and means forreceiving nails from said raceway constructed to control the axialposition of the nails.

2. In a machine of the class described, a raceway presenting a grooveprovided in its bottom near its delivery end with a nailreceivingopening of a width less than the width of the nail, said opening beingshaped their axes in passing therefrom into said opening.

3. A raceway having a groove to sustain by one of its side walls one ofthe two sides of a nail, the opposite side wall of the groove directlngone of the two edges of the nail,

said groove having an opening narrower than the width of the nail to bereceived and extending, through its fioor near its lower end whichopening is entered ,by the edge of the nail, whereby nails as they passinto said opening have their two sides positioned always in the samemanner.

4:. In a machine of the class described, nail-guiding tubes, said tubeshaving passageways extending throughout their length, which are narrowerthan the width of the nails to be guided therein, whereby said nails toreceive nails with their axes at an angle to the direction in which theyare to be drlven and'to arrange their corresponding faces inpredetermined relative positions,

and a series of guide tubes leading therefrom having passages narrowerthan the width of the nails whereby said nails are restrained from freeaxial rotation.

6. In a machine of the class described, means for assorting nailsaxially and means for delivering the assorted nails in any desired axialrelation to one another.

7. In a machine of the class described, the combination with an inclinedgroovedraceway and means for causing nails to advance along the raceway,said raceway grooves being shaped to cause the nails traveling thereinto assume predetermined axial positions,

of means arranged to receive the nails from the raceway grooves andautomatically turn the nails entering therein to a difierent axialposition.

8. In a machine of the class described, the combination with aninclined. grooved raceway and means for causing nails to advance alongthe raceway, said raceway grooves being shaped to cause the nailstraveling therein to assume predetermined axial positions, of a nailguide arranged to receive nails from the raceway and shaped to controlthe axial position of the nails passing therethrough.

9. In a machine of the class described, the combination with an inclinedgrooved raceway and means for causing nails to advance ing shaped tocause the nails traveling therein to assume predetermined axialpositions, of nall guides presenting at the dellvery end of each racewaya narrow opening into which the nails are advanced and by which saidnails are automatically caused to turn into a uniform axial position.

i the raceway.

7 11. In a machine for assorting nails of the class described, thecombination with a grooved raceway and means for causing the nails toadvance along the raceway, said raceway grooves being shaped to supportby one edge and one side the nails traveling therein, of nailguidespresenting at the delivery end of each groove an opening of a widthapproximately equal to the thickness of the nails whereby the axialposition of the nails passing from the raceway is controlled by the sidewalls of the guide.

12. In a machine of the class described, an inclined raceway on whichthe nails are dropped and down which they slide, said raceway having aseries of V-shaped grooves, one side of each groove supporting one ofthe sides of a nail while the other side of the groove sustains one ofthe narrow edges of the nail, whereby the nail is automaticallypositioned axially with one of its edges inclined upwardly that it maybe delivered therefrom in predetermined axial position, and means forreceiving nails from said raceway constructed to control their axialposit-ion.

13. In a machine of the class described, an inclined raceway on whichthe nails are dropped and down which they slide, said raceway having aseries of V-shaped grooves, one side of each groove supporting one ofthe sides of a nail while the other side of the groove sustains thenarrow lower edge of the nail whereby said, nail is positioned axiallywith one of its edges inclined upwardly, each groove at its delivery endhaving an opening or pocket of less width than the width of a nail inwhich the nails passing down the groove are caused to enter as theyleave the raceway.

14. In a machine of the class described, an inclined raceway having aseries of grooves to receive at their upper ends a series of nails, saidraceway being constructed to turn the'nails somewhat axiallybetween thetimes of their cont-act with said raceway and their delivery therefrom,thereby to arrange said nails with their corresponding'sides inpredetermined relative positions, and means to conduct said arrangednails from the grooves of said raceways to the driving mechanism whilemaintaining the said arrangement of the nails. 7

15. In a machine of the class described, a device constructed to sustainthe weight of a nail and turn the same axially in its movement over saiddevice, and means foradvancing the nails along said device. l

16. In a machine of the class described, a raceway to receive and guidenails provided with pockets near its end narrower than the widest partof the nail, nail guiding tubes having their ends respectively openinginto said pockets and formed of a thickness less means for advancing thenails along said guiding means.

18. In a machine of the class described, automatic mechanism forassorting nails constructed to arrange the nails with theircorresponding sides in predetermined relative'positions irrespective ofthe axial positions of the nails when supplied to said mechanism,including means for causing the axes of the nails to turn angularlyprior to their discharge from said mechanism, and means for supplyingnails to said mechanism.

19. In a machine of the class described, automatic mechanism forassorting nails constructed to receive nails supplied in indiscriminaterelative axial positions and to insure their arrangement withcorrespondin g sides in predetermined relative positions, includingmeans for turning the axes of the nails angularly while being soarranged, and means for automatically supplying corresponding sides inpredetermined relaname to this specification, in the presence tivepositions, and means constructed to reof two subscribing Witnesses.

ceive the nails after bein so arran ed and to control their axial position While they CHESTER SMALL are being delivered to the drivingmecha- Witnesses: nism. GEO. W. GREGORY,

In testimony whereof, I have signed my MARGARET A. DUNN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

